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The Producer/Director Relationship

It is obvious that the relationship between the producer and the director is an extremely important one in the making of a successful picture. Although the producer appears to be a crucial role in getting a picture made, the studio does not necessarily believe so. As a matter of fact, the producer is paid far less than the director of the film, and is not a big consideration when deciding whether a film receives the "green light" or not. Due to this, one of the greatest tasks of the producer is to find a director that is affordable and acceptable to the studio.  There are a handful of directors that are considered "bankable," meaning that many studios are more than happy to have then on a project because of the almost guaranteed success the film will have with their name on the project. However, not every director can direct every type of film, no matter how talented or accredited they are. The producer must take into high consideration how the director relates to the particular project in mind. A great deal of persistence and enthusiasm in the project are once again key roles the producer must play in trying to bring a director to the project. As the preproduction process begins, the producer and the director should work closely together and collaborate about how the production process and the entire scope of the film should take place. From the start, the producer and the director should have a shared vision of the picture. If the director goes into the project with the agenda of making a film that will promote or benefit his status then the film is bound for disaster.  The producer and the director must share a common goal; to make a picture that they both believe in. It is inevitable that there will be an overlap of interests and responsibilities between both players, and they should discuss these areas and try to figure out the most effective way to deal with them. The producer and director should work closely together while deciding the cast and crew, as well as location scouting and a lot of groundwork in preproduction.

During the production process, the producer is very helpful because they can be present in areas that the director is not. While the director is busy with their specific duties such as filming, the producer can be dealing with the studio, supervising crewmembers and their work, handling the press, etc.  The producer is also extremely helpful to the director in providing an objective point of view on the film as the process moves along. It should be considered helpful to the director for the producer to look at the dailies and be objective as to what they see. As the picture begins to take shape, the producers objective point of view will help to siphon out minor discrepancies that may plague the film in the future if not corrected. Many times, the director and others who spend countless hours each day with their eyes in a camera do not see these discrepancies. The point of view of the producer may pertain to both the performance and the technical aspects of the film.

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Postproduction

Once the film is completed, the actors can go home, but the producer stays on. The amount of time it takes for postproduction varies greatly, but a period of twenty-eight to thirty two weeks (or even longer) is common. Initially the film editor, hired by the director and editor (usually with studio approval) will do most of the work in postproduction.  The film will take on many versions during the postproduction process. It will go through the editing room where the editor will make their cut and the director will make their cut, both leaving the scenes that they believe will create the best picture. Differing viewpoints are common, and when the studio gets involved it may even become quite hectic. The producer must once again be able to separate the creative and financial considerations of the film and finds a happy medium. The producer may work with the director on the editing and some of the composing of the final picture, but in general the director, editor and composer work together on the final cut. If asked, the producer should continue to lend his support to both the director and the editor and offer suggestions to help in the editing process. If the producer is not requested to give his remarks however, he must temporarily step aside while the other three work their magic. Once the final cut is complete, the producer will once again step in and take a look at "his" film. Throughout postproduction, the producer must maintain a sharp focus on the budget of the film. Although the bulk of the financial strain will have already been established in production, postproduction expenses can get out of hand if not carefully observed. Today, major studio postproduction costs exceed $1 million. 

One of the main reasons for this is the increasing wages of the film editor and composer. Because there are only three (possibly four if the producer is involved) people working on the final product, more time will be needed to produce the final product. Time is not the only consideration that increases the budget however. These days, the editor and composer are considered major creative forces that will help to shape the film into something spectacular, and they are therefore paid much more for their work than they were in the past. Producers must keep a close watch on this increasing budget and keep the studio informed. 

Distribution and Advertising

Once a picture has finally been completed and is ready for the viewing public, the responsibility of selling the film remains. For some reason, distribution of a film has always been a tough area for a producer to effectively participate in. The views of a producer are generally not well received by distributors. The best thing a producer can do in this area is to be honest. Because the producer has been with the film from start to finish, their knowledge of the film is much greater than that of the marketing agent. In this respect, the producer can hopefully offer a more effective sales approach for the market.  Studios normally have numerous films in the works and gaining support for a film even after it is made may be difficult. Even if it is a wonderful film, if no one hears about it, it will not be successful at the box office. A producer should do whatever they can to get their film marketed correctly. It is very important for a producer to remain involved in the distribution process of the film. The producer is once again the liaison, the middleman between the people who make the film and the people who market and distribute the film. Major film distributors (a.k.a. the film studios) receive the bulk of the distribution receipts from their films. The studios generally negotiate with exhibition chains (such as AMC or Century theaters) along with independent theaters (privately owned) for a split of all receipts brought in by their films. One of the most common splits for a major motion picture is 90/10, in which the studio gets 90% of the receipts brought in, while the theater receives the remaining 10%.  Over time the theaters' profits will increase while the studios profits will decrease. In the initial stages of release, theaters will compete with each other for specific films by bidding a split amount and showing duration (# of weeks the picture will be shown at the theater) of the film. Films that are considered major blockbusters will be released in greater quantities and in more theaters across the country on opening weekend to try and bring in the maximum gross possible.

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An area of ever increasing importance for negotiations of a film, and an area in which a producer can become very involved is that of commercial "tie-ins." These tie-ins include everything from t-shirts to toys to books, records, posters, dolls and games. Producer's negotiations with these distributors can help to further increase the profits of a successful film. For a producer who seeks to assist in the marketing of the film, advertising is one of the most critical components. The more information the producer knows about the process the better. As with everything else, the more active and aggressive the producer is in promoting the advertising the better. From the beginning of the marketing and advertising process, the producer should have in mind what social groups the film will appeal to most.  He should be very knowledgeable about the film as a whole, and who will bring about the biggest response to it. With all this in mind, the advertising of the film can take on a much more focused approach, which will save both time and money. On the other hand, a producer must try and find a way to cross the lines drawn by all social groups; the more people that go and see the film the better. There is a fine line to walk when determining the advertising that will be most beneficial. As with all aspects of the film, studios will also try and impose a time deadline on advertising. Unfortunately time deadlines create restraints on the amount of revising that can be done. There have been many instances when advertisers have presented their ads or movie trailers to producers without time to make changes. Producers must try and work with these deadlines and make sure to oversee the work as it is in progress. This way, when the deadline arrives, the advertisement will not need revisions.

One last area that a producer must be well aware of is foreign distribution of their films. In recent years, foreign revenues (those theaters outside the United States and Canada) have accounted for greater than 50 percent of the total gross of a film.  Foreign distributors can be of great importance to producers even before a film has gone to production. In this case, distributors will give the producer a cash advance on the film for distribution rights once the film is released. Distributors can also make advances after the film is produced. In either case, the producer can use this money for financing the film, and the distributor will be reimbursed from the producers' share of the proceeds the movie will bring in. Foreign distribution is an ever-increasing benefit for the producer. The producer, whether independent or studio-based, should maximize whatever foreign means made available but should make sure to have individual contact with each distributor from each individual country. This may seem like an overwhelming task, but every country will have a different approach to distribution and their profit margin, and therefore should be treated on an individual bases. If done correctly it is possible that foreign distribution could ultimately account for a majority of the films' profits. Gorham Kindem, writer of The moving image, sums up the role of the producer in a few simple words. He states, "Producers are risk takers, who seize an idea, run with it, and convince others to follow them." Producers are the film industries' building blocks. They can come from anywhere and don't need any particular training to get in the game (other than the ability to socialize well).  They are always thinking and trying to sell a product, and always looking for that one idea, that one script which strikes a chord. Many producers begin their career as somebody's assistant. Others come from other areas of the industry, such as directing, acting, managing, law, etc. Others start out with simply a dream of being in the industry and money they received from family or another source.  In any case, to be a producer means you must have confidence, perseverance and a willingness to give your all to the project. The producer is the one who is there before the beginning and after the end.

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References

Goldman, William © 2000. Which Lie did I Tell? Kindem, Gorham © 1987. The Moving Image. Production Principles and Practices Lazarus, Paul N © 1992. The Film Producer Linson, Art © 1998. Pound of Flesh: Perilous Tales of How to Produce Movies in Hollywood McHugh, Kenna © 1999. Breaking into Film Pink, Sydney © 1989. So you want to make movies: My Life as an Independent Film Producer Random House Inc, NYNY © 1999. Movies and Money Resnik, Gail and Trost, Scott © 1996. All you need to know about the Movie and TV Business Seger, Linda and Whetmore, Edmard Jay © 1994. From Script to Screen

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